Juicers can be broken down into three categories: citrus juicers, masticating juicers, and centrifugal juicers or sometimes simply referred to as all-purpose juicers. Citrus juicers, or manual juicers, use a reamer to press the juice and pulp out of oranges, lemons, limes, etc. Masticating juicers, also known as slow juicers, use a single auger or twin gear system to squeeze the juice out which is really effective on leafy greens. The all-purpose juicers use a swirling blade to chop the fruits or vegetables then a centrifugal operation, or in simpler terms, spun to separate the juice from pulp.

For this review we are going to focus on the masticating and centrifugal kitchen appliances which we compare below.

Masticating Juicer Pros

Extracts more juice

High nutrient retention

Better for leafy greens

Quiet

Less heat

More versatile

Masticating Juicer Cons

Slow

Expensive

Small feed chutes = you will have to chop up the food smaller

Centrifugal Juicer Pros

Cheap

Fast

Large feed chutes = less prep time

Centrifugal Juicer Cons

Very poor leafy green juice extraction

Less efficient juice extraction on all foods

Generates heat which can lead to less nutrients

Loud

Some of the important features most users look for include the overall ability to extract the juice, ease of use, how easy is it to clean and are the parts dishwasher-safe, a wide feeder chute, and durability/warranty.

Below we review our top 10 best juicers. Professional juicers can cost from $500 to over $1000, so for this review we only focused on household units that cost less than $400. If you need more information before making a purchase check out our Juicer Buying Guide.

9.4

We chose the Tribest SW-2000-B Slowstar as the best juicer. This vertical single auger machine turns at a slow 47 RPMs which means less heat, less foam, and more nutrients and enzymes while still yielding more juice than almost any other model. It is also versatile since it can handle greens, soft fruit, hard vegetables, and also comes with a mincer attachment that can let you make sorbets and nut butters.

The Tribest Slowstar, although tall, takes up a small footprint of just 8 x 6.5 inches, while the feed chute opening is 2.5 x 1.5 inches which is wider than many other masticating type units. It is relatively easy to clean, although the parts are not dishwasher safe.

Overall we recommend the Tribest Slowstar for all users due to its design, power, versatility, and lower price compared to other slow juicers.

9.4

Coming in a close second place is the Omega VSJ843 Slow Juicer which is available in square and round designs of different colors. In testing this model yielded the most green juice of any tested, but yielded lower amounts of carrot-apple juice. This vertical, single dual-edged auger machine produces low-foam juice very quietly that is virtually free from any pulp.

We ranked it number two because it is more expensive than the Slowstar, and also does not quite have the same versatility. However we feel like it is easier to clean.

You should buy the Omega VSJ843 if you want smooth pulp-free green juices.

9.3

We picked the Breville Juice Fountain Duo BJE820XL as the best centrifugal juicer. It is the highest rated all-purpose juicer on Amazon and has the most powerful motor on our list at 1200 watts. With a 3-inch chute you can put whole fruit in it which means less prep time. One other nice feature is the 5 setting variable speed control which lets you maximize yield depending on the type of food you are juicing. It also comes with a second juice disc to puree soft fruits which lets you make 100% fruit smoothies.

As for negatives, it is quite noisy and also will not extract as much juice from produce, especially greens, as masticating type units.

If you want the best centrifugal juicer than buy the Breville Juice Fountain Duo, but keep in mind that it is the most expensive on our list and there are much cheaper options available.

9.3

Slow juicers are quite expensive, but if you want a cheap masticating juicer then we recommend the Omega J8004. This thing provides an amazing value since it is over $100 cheaper than top-tier models while the performance only rates slightly lower than those same units. Some people recommend the Omega J8006, but we say go with the J8004 since it is about $75 cheaper and is identical except in appearance – this one is white while the J8006 is chrome.

This horizontal single auger unit has a larger footprint, 16 x 7 inches, but excels at extracting juice from hard fruits and vegetables. Although it is only average in yield from softer greens. The feed chute is narrow with just a 1.5 inch diameter, so you will need to spend some time chopping your produce down. However, you can save some time on the back end since it is probably the easiest slow juicer to clean.

So if you are looking for a more affordable masticating juicer, or just a high yielding model, than the Omega J8004 is the one for you.

9.2

The Breville Juice Fountain Elite 800JEXL is the next step down in Breville’s offerings from the BJE820XL, but it still packs a punch with its 1000 watt motor while costing about $50 less. It only has 2 speed settings compared to 5, however.

The Breville 800JEXL is very will built and sleek looking so you won’t mind leaving it out on your counter. This model has a large 3 inch feed chute to accommodate whole fruits and vegetables which it will devour with ease. It is also super easy to clean and most of the parts are dishwasher safe.

Users on Amazon also really love it with a 4.6 star rating and we think you will too which is why we would recommend it to anyone looking for a centrifugal juicer.

9.2

The Omega NC900HDC is a newer version of the J8006/J8004. The main improvements are a larger feed chute, a ‘dual staged’ auger, and a pulp pressure adjustment. The larger feed chute is the main difference users will notice since you don’t have to chop up all your produce as small. The juice yield is still about the same as the J8004 or J8006.

Since the Omega NC900HDC costs almost $150 more than the J8004 we still recommend the cheaper version. However, if you can find the NC900HDC for a bit cheaper on sale or if you just want the latest generation then don’t hesitate to buy this version.

9.1

Easy set-up and clean-up highlight the Breville BJE510XL. This is a really good balance between price and performance. At $200 it is $100 less than the more powerful 800JEXL. For the average user there is no need to step up to one of the top-of-the-line Breville models. One advantage is its variable speeds which maximize yield across variety of fruits.

One slight negative is that the yield of juice extracted from this appliance is only average, not great.

9

Getting towards the bottom end of Breville’s lineup of juicers, the Juice Fountain Plus JE98XL still performs quite well for its price which is why it is the number one best seller for centrifugal juicers on Amazon. With a 3 inch wide feed chute and 850 watt motor with dual speeds it can create an 8 ounce cup of juice in just 5 seconds.

While it is fast, this unit does not quite extract the maximum amount of juice.

At this price point it would be hard to find a better model and with its speed it is a solid juicer for someone who is busy and who wants to start juicing.

8.1

If you want a cheap juicer or budget juicer then you might want to consider the Hamilton Beach 67650. For the price we think it is a solid buy, but it is not in the same range as the Breville models. Although it can handle some fruits OK, it will struggle to extract juice with many vegetables and some soft fruits. This leaves a lot of wasted, mushy pulp behind.

If you are just making fruit juices the Hamilton Beach 67650 will work for you, but if you want vegetable juice we recommend spending more money.

Buyers should be aware that once you get down in this price range the performance really drops off – they just are not very efficient at extracting juice.

Juicer Buying Guide

Before you purchase a juicer you should remember to consider these important attributes:

Type – Which style of operation you want in your juicer depends on the produce you plan to use in it. If you are juicing wheatgrass or other fibrous greens then go with a masticating juicer. If you primarily will be using fruits and some vegetables then go with a centrifugal juice extractor.

Feeder Chute – You can only fit produce that is as wide as the feeder into the juicer. So a wider feeder chute will result in less chopping and dicing ahead of time.

Clean-Up – Juicers are extemely messy inside. Find a model that users say is easy to clean and just as important that uses parts that are dishwasher safe.

Speeds – Multiple speeds on a centrifugal model make it easier to get the desired result on a vareity of produce. An extra slow speed can help with greens on this type of unit as well.

Motor – All of these appliances rely on a motor to work. The best centrifugal models have over 900 or even 1000 watts of power, meanwhile average models have about 700-800 watts. Masticating versions will have a motor with less power – around 150 watts.

Size – People are often shocked how large some juicers are. So know how much space you have where you want to store it and make sure it will fit. Remember a horizontal slow juicer will take up more counter space than a vertical machine.

Noise – The centrifugal juice extractors are often quite noisy. Look for a quiet model if this is an issue for you.

Time – How much time do you have to juice? Masticating juicers take much longer to work than centrifugal models. If you are in a rush go with a centrifugal version.

Pulp – Do you like a lot of pulp in your orange juice? If so look for a citrus juicer with a filter or pulp regulator that lets you control the amount of pulp that ends up in the juice.

Heat – The centrifugal units often produce a lot of heat while in use. For some users this is problem. If you want low heat go with a masticating version.